Hitsuzen
by Ichi-Alice
Summary: Humans are the most complex things in the world. And every one has a wish, a secret deep in their heart. And one night, a being was born again, one who could grant those wishes, for a price. So tell me, how much would you pay for the thing you want most?
1. Chapter 1

Summary: Humans are the most complex things in the world. And everyone has a wish, a secret deep in their heart. And one night, a being was born again by will of Death, one who could grant those wishes, for a price. So tell me, how much would you pay for the thing you want most?

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Chapter 1: Introduction to the Death God

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There is no fate, there is no destiny.

There is only Hitzusen.

Hitzusen: A naturally foreordained event. A state in which other outcomes are impossible and a result which can only be obtained by a single causality; all other causalities would necessarily create different results

Everything happens for a reason, but the future is up to the person.

And any future can be beholden…for a price.

From money to a soul, there is always a price for something, for living, for existing. And humans constantly give and take based on their foolish desires:

Their wealth in the material world

Their fortune in the spiritual world

And their souls in the celestial world

For wishes are the very things keeping people alive: from the simple to the unobtainable, it is the very selfish desire that humans strive forward for. Even the impossible wish can be granted. The one wish no mortal, no demon, no god can grant.

It can be granted…for a price.

How far are you willing to go for the thing you desire most?

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He looked into the mirror and just stared at himself.

He saw a small face, deep tanned skin stretched tight over high cheekbones, devoid of the chubby cheeks that should have been bestowed to a child so young. An unruly mop of dirty blonde hair hung around his face, a bit grimy from lack of washing, but still a shockingly bright shade of gold. Thin angular shoulders supported his head and wide ocean blue eyes peeking outward curiously.

He scowled and turned away, stomping his tiny bare feet on the hardwood floor of his apartment. The dirty-washed white walls were bare and the windows devoid of curtains or even potted plants. The kitchen was nearly squeaky clean, the stove never been used. The refrigerator was broken, nothing was inside. There was an old couch and a rug that served as a living room; the single bed and closet served as a bed room in the adjacent door.

The apartment was dead.

The boy scowled even more, thin lips curling back to show blunt white teeth, as he gazed scornfully at his shoddy apartment. He hated it. Hated this village…hated himself.

He looked at his hands, small but chapped and calloused, the same tanned tone as his face, and wondered. He didn't seem to look anything different from the other children. He didn't act different from the other children. He didn't think different from the other children.

So why did everyone hate him?

Why did everyone's eyes bore into him like a knife? Eyes with a mass of hatred and disgust and fear and pity that he wanted to scream and cry. Why did no one want to play with him, to smile at him, to even look at him with a kind glance?

The boy scratched at himself angrily, as if trying to tear off whatever it was that infected his skin so that others looked at him life a freak. He yowled like a animal his sharp roughly cut fingernails caused him to bleed, red seeping and dripping onto the floor.

He stared at it. It was red, just like the other kids' when they'd fallen and scraped their knee.

So then why was he so different? He just wanted to know that answer? Why couldn't he pass the exams like all the other kids? Why were people happy he failed? He'd give anything to know that answer. Anything…anything.

"_Would you?"_

The boy jumped and turned at the abrupt voice in the empty apartment. His eyes widened with fright as he stared at what had once been a very empty couch.

The figure that lounged there looked normal enough. Skin as pale as snow with elegant black hair cut tastefully to his shoulders, the man looked to be around his mid twenties, his eyes, a dark onyx black, twinkled with a malicious taint. He wore normal shinobi clothes, except for a fan-like symbol he'd seen on his classmate's back printed over his left chest.

The figure stood and walked toward the boy with slow easy steps, making the boy scramble backward his fright, burrowing futilely into a corner. He was no stranger to villagers making a passing blow or two at him; never did they dare try anything when the old man or the strange figures in animal masks were there. But who was to say that the boy hadn't got a mysterious bruise from "falling down" or a cut from "a mere school accident."

The man smiled, his lips curling is a disgusting sweet smile and turned to pace toward the side. It was then that the boy gasped and burrowed back, stifling a cry of horror. The left side of the man's face was horribly mutilated; the jaw seemed to have been ripped off, showing the gaping black inside of his rotting mouth, a fury of slashes adorning what was left of the skin and muscle on his cheek. His throat seemed to have been slit and a trickle of black foul blood dribbled from the wound, His eye was bloodshot and protruding, and seemed to have been slit clean in two.

"_Like what you see little boy?"_ asked the man with his hideous half-smile and chuckled quietly, "_Do I disgust you, demon? Do you see what has been done to me?"_

Naruto heaved and threw up on the floor, the bitter smell of bile and the dry heaving of his sore throat making his eyes water as he stared in undisguised fright.

The man…thing drew closer and closer, its foul death-tainted breath skimming his skin so much he felt like he had to wipe it off. He whimpered, closing his eyes so he wouldn't have to see the terrible sight.

"_Do you know what I'm going to do to you…Uzumaki Naruto?"_

The man chuckled, blood seeping from his ghastly wounds all the more as his eye, sliced as it was, seemed to stare at him with ten times the hatred he received from the people in town. He felt like screaming, crying, anything but this!

"_I'm going to kill you."_

The boy shrieked as he felt something ice cold enter his heart, it wrenched and twisted as his eyesight blurred and his tongue twisted with agony. The cold was so icy it burned, and he felt as if his body was not his own, as if someone else was moving his hands, was using his voice to shriek to the high heavens.

Suddenly, a dark growling voice, like gravel scratching on pavement, rumbled,

"**No one touches my vessel!"**

He heard a shriek, high and keening, too wretched to be his own. As of someone being devoured alive, of someone's soul being damned to the ninth ring of hell. He felt a hand on his throat, tight and unyielding as a voice, the creature's, voice hissed into his ear with its very last breath,

"_May darkness claim your soul, may the demons devour your fortune, and the animals tear you body apart. May you suffer all the atrocities of the world. May you never be happy, Kyuubi no Yoko, Uzumaki Naruto. Remember the name of Uchiha and may you be damned forever"_

Abruptly as it started, the iciness vanished into oblivion and a wave of heat enveloped him in arms of warmth. Shuddering from exhaustion, his voice gone from his prolonged screaming and his hands and arms still raw with scratches, he felt himself fall deeper into the comforting warm.

"**I have not come so far as to perish such a fate!"**

It was so easy to close his eyes, to sink into the heated bliss. His eyes grew heavier as the light grew smaller, smaller, gone.

"**No, no, no! I shall not be claimed this way!"**

Slowly, but surely, his breathing slowed from the panicky mess to a deep rhythmic sighing. Slowly, slowly, then gently gone.

Uzumaki Naruto died that night.

=LINE BREAK=

"_Where am I?"_

Uzumaki Naruto opened his eyes and saw nothing but darkness. There were no floors, no ceiling, no walls, no door, just empty black space. He should have shuddered, but he felt as if he'd been shot with a tranquilizer, he was numb to everything. He stared at himself. He still had the numerous scratches from which he'd furiously clawed at himself and the front of his old too-large T-shirt was stained with his vomit, Gently, he touched his neck to feel tender patches of what seemed good enough to be fingerprints around his throat. Yet he felt no pain, no cold, nothing.

"_Where am I"_

"**We are in the world between the mortal world and the heavenly world: We are in the spiritual realm. All thanks to your pathetic inability to defend yourself you insignificant piece of human flesh! I nearly died from mere possession! By a human ghost! The shame of it all!"**

Naruto turned around and suddenly contorted in fear of the giant monstrosity that was before him, it's snout inches from his own face, dangerous white fangs ready to tear open his skin. It was at least three times bigger than the Hokage Mountains themselves and crimson fur encased its entire body, nine long slender tails extended proudly and malevolently over their heads. Sharp canines snapped at him as long lethal looking claws strained to get themselves buried into his body, but none surpassed its eyes. The blood-red malice filled eyes that was filled with so much hatred, death, despair, venom, and utter chaos that the thing seemed mad beyond existence, so much so that if he could, Naruto would have retched again.

"_You…you are…you are the Kyuubi no Kitsune!"_

"**What else would be the stuff of your nightmares you wretched human piece of carcass?"**

"_You…you…you are supposed to be dead!"_

The Kyuubi seemed to find that amusing as a deep rumbling gurgled from its scarlet chest, the sound so utterly guttural that it made Naruto cringe,

"**You'd wish that wouldn't you little mortal? You'd wish that I was in Shinigami's stomach suffering eternal damnation like your fool of a sire. But I am not, I am alive and if I could, I'd tear your body, mind, and soul to the dust of the spiritual plane!"**

It was only then that Naruto realized the hundreds of slender black chains keeping the Kyuubi merely inches of destroying him. They looped around each tail and his torso like a mosaic of metal, tight round each limb so that the beast could barely move a muscle. The blonde child sighed a little in relief; there was a small bit of sanity in his situation. Kyuubi could not kill him. His confidence rising, Naruto mustered up his voice in his throat and managed to squeak,

"_But…but…the Yondaime destroyed you! He killed you twelve years ago on my birthday!"_

Kyuubi howled in utter rage, its eyes of crimson blood shining with unredeemed hatred as his hackles rose and his jaws snapped pointlessly in the air, the fangs nearly grazing the skin on the boy's whiskered cheeks. Naruto shrieked and scrambled a tiny bit further, rubbing at the piece of flesh that was his cheek that had almost been in the Kyuubi's belly.

"**NEVER! NEVER DARE TO MENTION THAT MORTAL PIECE OF FILTH IN M Y PRESENCE! WHEN I SEE HIM AGAIN, BE IT IN ANOTHER LIFE OR IN THE SHINIGAMI'S STOMACH ITSELF! I WILL TEAR THAT MORTAL SOUL TO SHREDS! HE WILL NEVER HAVE A CHANCE FOR REINCARNATION!"**

"**That is, Kyuubi, if I see it fit that you meet again."**

The Kyuubi's sudden rage did not vanish, but diminished quite sufficiently and even a tinge of fear entered its senses as it, to the best of its ability, bowed slightly to something behind Naruto, who was still trembling on the floor.

"**Shinigami-sama"**

Naruto turned slowly and gave a cry of horror at the figure behind him. He almost preferred the Kyuubi to the thing that was the Death God. Grotesquely misshapen and disproportioned arms hung loosely at the sides of the plain white blood-splattered robes that he wore, a gigantic kodachi hung at his waist loosely next to his enormous bulging belly. The face was like the oni masks Naruto had once seen in the rare chance he'd sneaked to the Kyuubi festival: fierce ugly features mangled his face and large lower fangs point skyward. White stringy hairs hung from its head and were tangled round the massive ox-like horns that protruded from its forehead. The eyes were a stark empty black and white, holding nothing of value, barren as the desert.

Naruto could only stutter and shudder, trembling like a leaf as he whimpered away from the horrible monsters that surrounded him.

"**So this is your vessel Kyuubi, the son of the human who summoned me to seal you away."**

"**Indeed, he is, the foul little scrap of garbage."**

Blank black and white eyes studied the boy as he never ceased to tremble, the utter fear infecting his heart like a plague.

"**Do I frighten you mortal? Do you look upon my features and tremble in fear?"**

Naruto did not answer.

With his misshapen features, the Death God gave what seemed to be a smirk and was suddenly incompased in a greenish glow. His massive size shrank and his features aligned and grew proportionate until what seemed like a human male stood in front of Naruto. He was at least twice the child's height and had skin the color of paper: dull and lifeless. Hair the color of fallen snow pooled around his shoulders and lay like a curtain around him. A slim elegant looking hand flicked away strands of hair, the skin so transparent it seemed Naruto was looking at a humanoid skeleton. The Shinigami smiled without warmth, pointed teeth glinting in an unknown light. His eyes however had not changed one bit, still as devoid of any spark as the deep depths of the sea.

"**Does this serve to ease your fears, vessel of Kyuubi?"**

Naruto nodded hesitantly and managed the set himself onto his feet. Truth be told, though he still felt his heart wildly in his chest and his feet wobbling a bit, the sight of a human figure he could relate to gave a shot of calm through his hysterical persona.

Naruto's brow furrowed as he suddenly comprehended what had been said.

"_What do you mean vessel of Kyuubi? I'm not some sort of pot! And you said son of the human, do you mean my father? Did you know my father…Shinigami-sama?"_

Kyuubi uttered yet another growl, but chocked on it at a steely glance from his superior. The Shinigami gave Naruto what seemed to be the best he could attempt at a benevolent look, but managed to morph it into something condescending and rather haughty.

"**I knew every person that has ever existed and shall know those who are yet to come. For I am Death Vessel of Kyuubi, and no one escapes Death. Your father was what you mortals classified as a hero; I admit I give him my approval. No mortal to date has given up his life as to seal a demon so securely inside a human vessel."**

"_But no one ever fought with any demon in Konoha except…the Yondaime."_

"**Dear Inari-sama above, does Shinigami-sama have to spell it out for you, you filthy little monkey? Your father, that bastard who should rot in the ninth circle of Hell, was the Yondaime Hokage who dared to seal me within his own son and sacrifice his soul into Shinigami-sama's stomach."**

"_You…but…that's impossible! My father...Yondaime? No, no, no! The Yondaime was supposed to be an awesome good guy! Why would he leave me in…"_

"**The pathetic refuge of garbage and filth that you call Konohagakure? Because he was a fool thrice over to believe in the so called goodness of the human heart? Pah, you filthy mortals stinking up all three dimensions with your greed."**

The Shinigami interrupted their banter with a slight humorless chuckle, lightly stroking one of Naruto's scarred cheeks, making him shiver in utter loathing at the cold clammy touch of death.

"**And yet Kyuubi, what would the world be without greed? There would be no drive, no reason for human beings to exist. They gain what they want, then throw it away and persue something new, polluting the spiritual world with their remains."**

Turning his back to the menacing nine-tailed fox, the Shinigami settled his paper-white hand on Naruto's shoulder and pointed into the darkness, through the ink black smoke that gushed from seemingly nowhere.

"**Look there, what do you see?"**

Naruto, ignoring the stomach-clenching feeling of the hand on his shoulder with a great effort, squinted his almond-shaped eyes into the inky darkness. He caught glimpses of human figures in the distance, drifting pointlessly through the forest of smoke. He saw flashes of horrible creatures, looking into the depths of the spirit world and seeing the many demons and parasites that lay within its depths.

"_I see…many things Shinigami-sama."_

"**Indeed. The black smoke that surrounds us are mortal refuse: their lies, betrayals, malice, shame, addiction, madness, and anything else that spouts from their heart's desires. The figures you see in the distance are the souls of people who are beyond redemption. Mortals need a purpose in life and when that purpose is snatched away from them, their souls are tormented by the uselessness of their fragile lives. The creatures you see are the scum of the spirit world: parasites who latch themselves onto humans for sustenance. They go so far as to devour human souls to keep themselves in existence."**

"_Human…souls?"_

"**Yes, they latch themselves onto anything they can: greed, vanity, wrath, envy, and let it fester until their prey is too sunk into their own madness to comprehend their predicament. The spirit who came after you, the one who was the soul of an Uchiha, came after you because of your blood. Your blood is an irresistible source of sustenance for these parasites.**

"_But…I thought the man…spirit…came to get revenge on me for Kyuubi."_

"**Of course he did. You are a source of hatred for him, a physical manifestation of his death to him. However, if his soul were to somehow survive being devoured by Kyuubi, even he would not be able to deny the luscious scent of your blood. You who are able to see those of the spirit world. "**

"_See…spirits?"_

"**I do admit that your abilities have developed much later than others, but your blood cannot be denied. Perhaps you had someone in your family with spiritual powers, but you have strong blood running through your veins, one that is irresistible to those that lurk in the depths of the spirit world. See how even now they come toward you?"**

Indeed, as the Death God had been speaking, the creatures, those that Naruto had only heard of in folk tales that were in a book he had read once had come toward him. A snake-like creature with the ripped scarred face of the human woman with a blood caked mouth drew so close, he could smell it's rancid breath.

"Ah, soooo sweet. The scent of a human. Come, let me feed on your blood, let me tear you apart!"

Naruto whimpered a bit, but could not move for the Death God's hand on his shoulder. The Shinigami himself, gave a sinister smile on his handsome, but fear-inducing face as he whispered,

"**You dare defy me?**_" _

In an instant, a clawed paper-colored hand shot out and tossed the snake-like spirit behind them and into the gaping jaws of Kyuubi, who munched on his meal with relish, making most of the other spirits in the realm tremble.

"**You dare interrupt my conversation with my chosen one and dare try to go against me? Out of my sight you wretched scum of the plains before I cast you into the jaws of the fox-king!"**

Instantly, the spirits drew back and scurried back into the black sludge of a mist. The Shinigami turned and fixed his empty gaze onto the trembling and utterly human blonde boy.

"**In the physical world, you have been dead for 2 days. Your body has yet to be buried. I can send you back, but there is a price you must pay. Will you pay it for the sake of yourself?"**

Naruto forced himself to stop trembling.

"_Ah…so I am dead…what is the price Shinigami-sama?"_

"**2 souls. One for each day you have been dead. If you go back, two people will die…good or bad, innocent of guilty, two souls will die so you shall live again. Will you still pay the price?"**

The small boy bit his lip and fingered the edge of his shirt. He didn't want to die, he didn't know what would happen if he died. He wanted to become a shinobi. Be recognized, respected. He wanted to live. But…was it worth it?

The Shinigami watched with interest at the boy in front of him, one of his eyes glancing at Kyuubi, whose own crimson eyes glazed with eager greed at the boy.

"**Do you want to live?"**

"…_yes."_

"_**Even if it means death for two others?"**_

"…_yes."_

The Death God laughed.

"_**,..You are a human through and through. But you interest me, so I shall grant you a deal. I shall give you a gift, a burden, and it shall be yours to see fit to use. It exchange, you will get me the souls of two individuals whom you shall know by my mark on their forehead. Do not fail me…my human."**_

"_Wait..what deal? What gift?"_

But in an instant, all faded into darkness, nothingness as the grating voice of death whispered into his ear, "**Know this Uzumaki Naruto, you and I are bound by the ties of fate. Hitsuzen: it is no accident that you died and that you sacrificed to live again."**

=LINE BREAK=

The Sandaime rushed into the hospital, his robes flapping behind him as he dashed into room 313, as he'd been informed by a frightened desk nurse.

The door slammed open as a small, rather tiny, figure sat upright in the white sheets reserved for those getting ready for burial. Sarutobi stared in disbelief as the former corpse of the Kyuubi vessel turned toward him. Subtle changes had been made, but it was still Uzumaki Naruto.

But his eyes, still a cerulean blue, were older, wiser, harsher than before.

The tanned face, still youthful and plumb-cheeked, seemed tired and almost lined with wrinkles, as if a great burden was on his shoulders.

Tracks of tears could be seen down marked cheeks, the former hair-thin markings now nearly the size of Inuzuka tribal tattoos, showing all just who this boy was.

"….Naruto?"

And all Sarutobi could do is remain motionless as the former corpse looked over and smiled. Even his smile, though the same mischievous grin, seemed to lack sincerity.

"Naruto, how are you-"

"…Alive? I don't know Jii-chan. I don't know. But…but…I'm alive now. And two people are dead…because of me…"

"Naruto, I don't understand."

"Me neither Jii-chan, but that's what happened. That's what Shinigami-sama told me."

"Shinigami! Naruto…what…how?"

Suddenly, the small blonde boy convulsed, as if seized by the throat and shaken violently. Sarutobi rushed over, grabbing the frantically waving hands to keep the boy from hurting himself, but drew in a gasp as the boy's blue eyes rolled far back until only the whites were shown and the Kyuubi vessel spoke in a grating empty voice surely not of the human world.

"**Sarutobi, consider this my payment for my summoning 12 years ago to seal away Kyuubi. This boy is mine. No one will touch him. He shall not be a shinobi, not yours nor the Leaf's. Remember this or there shall be consequences."**

The voice disappated and Naruto collapsed in the elderly Hokage's arms, screaming as blood started to pour down his back, the carving of the sign of Death on his back.

Sarutobi shuddered and called for the nurses. What had been done? What was to be done?

=LINE BREAK=

Author's Note: This took me forever! But so glad it's done! Ok, but basically, as you can probably tell, the only reason I made this a xxxHolic crossover is because I will be incorporating a lot of Holic themes and ideas with this new version of Naruto. Warning: NARUTO WILL BE VERY VERY OOC. I do not plan for him to be the hyperactive ninja we all adore. He probably will be like Yuko, only with a few major differences, or at least that's what I hope. No idea for pairing, might not even have any. But I hope people enjoy this story because its been haunting me for a while. I liked this idea and have many plans for it!

Please review to tell me what you think!

Ja Ne!

Ichi_Alice


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note: I should be working on my other story. It is my main focus after all. But daydreaming during my SATs gave me another idea for this story…so…here it is! I'm glad that people like it! It makes me happy since this was a spur of the moment plot! Reviews make me smile! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or xxxHolic.

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Chapter 2: Introducing Konoha's New….?

It was a familiar bright sunny day in Konoha when it started to rain. The fine shower of water didn't deter the sunlight not did the clouds darken or cover the sun. An odd phenomenon, but one that many a people ignored in favor of their busy little lives.

Shining blue eyes looked up gracefully as droplets pitter-pattered gently on the silk kimono that enshrouded the figure sitting quietly in this sunny rain, ignored by the many people bustling to and from before it, their eyes not once glancing toward it.

A lighthearted smile graced thin pink lips as a soft voice whispered calmly to itself, "Ah, so the fox has taken a bride. Some of your kin, Kyuubi?"

"**Shut up trash"**

The figure chuckled and reached into the sleeve of the silk kimono, though dampened by the quiet spring rain, and pulled out a small hand mirror, about the size of a child's palm.

"On these days, the proper celebratory rites must be done. Let us do a Kyocho"

"**Those rites are pointless. Pathetic humans, always needing to see what lies ahead"**

"There is no hard in be being prepared Kyuubi. If something is the matter, I must warn the Hokage."

"**Do not forget where your loyalties lie scum. You belong to the Shinigami, not that worthless old man."**

Lips curved downward into a petulant frown, but the figure did not retaliate as he looked upwards at the sunny sky, rain still pouring down on him gently. Closing his eyes, he grasped the mirror in his right palm and held it to his heart, listening closely.

A tiny voice, barely a whisper, the silent voice of the fates, answered, "_It is time to reveal Death's right hand. Waves call you. Demons and blood await you. Bitter tears wish for you. Eyes of fire and ink are to be guided away from the dark._

Eyes opened, revealing cerulean blue, as the figure stood up, kimono and hair dripping. The rain had stopped, leaving the figure with trailing streams of water down his face. The mirror, now shattered fragments pattered onto the ground as the figure darted away, leaping through the tree tops, the Hokage must be told.

=LINE BREAK=

Sarutobi Hiruzen was having a migraine. The 3rd Hokage, God of Shinobi, the one to know over a thousand jutsu, was desperately wishing for some aspiring as his wrinkled fingers rubbed at his temples, his brow furrowing deeply with his problem.

Before him, Umino Iruka looked sheepish and rather embarrassed as he rubbed the back of his head.

"So…because there was an even amount of graduates, there is one team left short. And I made most of the teams based on how the kids interacted in and out of school. As you said before Hokage-sama, I can't break up the Ino-Shika-Cho combo because their father's would complain. Kiba, Hinata, and Shino's abilities suit each other well enough to make the perfect scouting and tracking team. The only team left is the one with Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura, top of their classes. And…well…"

"-considering Sasuke-kun's hostility towards everything that moves and breathes and Sakura-chan's lack of inspiration other than her friend Ino and her crush on Sasuke, you cannot seem to find a suitable third teammate," finished the Sandaime, pursing his lips and he stared at the reports sprawled over his wooden desk.

He groaned mentally. Why was he here! Shouldn't old men like be blissfully retired, relaxing at home with a nice book?

"Normally I would make the team wait until the next batch of genin is ready, but with this team, this is unacceptable. The Council demands Uchiha Sasuke graduate this year and be placed immediately under Hatake Kakashi's tuition," answered Sarutobi, lighting his pipe as he stood up and began to pace.

Iruka twitched almost unnoticeably at the sound of the perverted, perpetually late, and generally unpredictable jonin's name, but he made no comment.

Suddenly sounds of protest were heard from outside as the door was slammed open.

"Sir, Danzo-sama, you cannot go into the Hokage's office while he is in an engagement!" protested the secretary, who was trying not to flinch at the condescending gaze the one-eyed war hawk gave him.

"Since I have the solution to his current problem, I would think that I was part of this engagement, therefore I have a right to come in, don't I" sneered Danzo as he limped into the room, leaning heavily on his cane, but still looking rather intimidating.

"Y-yes…I s-suppose s-so…"

"Good, now go stand somewhere and make a use of yourself," said Danzo with a thin smile as he closed the door in the secretary's face and turned to the other old occupant in the room.

"Danzo…what are you doing here? You have no business with the genin teams."

"On the contrary Sarutobi, I do. I am quite aware of your…problem and I believe I have the solution to your lack of a teammate for the Uchiha boy."

Reaching into the folds of his kimono, the bandaged man took out a plain folder and handed it to Iruka. Upon opening it, both men saw a picture of a young boy, just around the graduating genins' ages, with short straight straw-like hair the color of soot and deep dark inky eyes that reflect nothing in a pale pointed serious face. The papers behind it stated the name as Sai.

"Before you…disbanded" said Danzo with a sour curl of his lip, "my ROOT, this boy was one of the top in the program. Afterwards, he was taken in by one of the elder former agents and trained to his full potential. But as he is not a genin, his guardian was unable to teach him everything, which is why I think that if you make him a genin, I think he will be the perfect teammate for Uchiha Sasuke."

Sarutobi frowned as he looked through the records, "This…Sai…has no last name? No living relatives? And it states here he has an unusual technique I have never heard of before. And as he is of your former group, how can I be assured he is safe to integrate with fresh genin?"

"Sai's parents were immigrants, I believe, from Kusa no Kuni and both perished from disease. His father was a painter. His mother did not work. His brother was, I believe, under your hand. His name was Asahi, but he perished on duty, and so six year old Sai fell to me. And I assure you that he is an efficient shinobi who will benefit Konoha. You do, after all, need one more genin to pass Uchiha, now don't you Sarutobi?"

"….Agreed. Inform Sai to come to the Academy tomorrow at noon tomorrow for team assignments and his headband. I trust your judgment Danzo, do not disappoint me."

Danzo smiled as he gave an awkward bow and limped out of the room, the ugly smile still on his scarred face like it would never come off.

Sarutobi sighed as he wondered if he made a big mistake. Danzo was not…ever to be trusted. And this Sai…he had never come across him in any of his files, though he distinctly remembered an Asahi. He only prayed that his suspicions were wrong. But the bad feeling still tingled in his gut.

"Iruka, since the assignments are set, I suggest you go home and rest. It'll be a long day tomorrow."

The scarred chunnin nodded hesitantly, shaking off his uneasy feelings, and bowed, heading toward the door when it opened to reveal a small figure, who only came up to his shoulder, clad in blue. The two exchanged glances as they passed. Dark brown looking into cerulean blue until, right before the door closed, the figure murmured, "Do not hold their deaths so close to your heart. It'll make you sick."

Iruka's eyes widened like that of a frightened deer and quickly shut the door.

Sarutobi gave a small smile, "You shouldn't have scared him so, Naruto."

Naruto shrugged, pulling back the strands of gold hair that obscured his vision, "It amuses me. Humans are afraid of what is strange to them"

Giving an awkward laugh, he hated it when Naruto spoke of humans as not his own kind, Sarutobi sat down again, "What have you to tell me tonight Naruto?"

"I preformed a Kyocho today. I then did a little research and talked to Kyuubi a little. Do not worry about Sai and the Uchiha. First they will clash, as darkness and flame always do, but they will become strong together rather than apart. But watch for Danzo…he is the spider in the web, he pulls things to his own choosing."

"Do not worry Naruto, I am well aware of Danzo, though your message about the boys does give me some comfort."

The blonde nodded, choosing to remain silent on the message of waves, blood, demons, and tears that the Kyocho had also granted him earlier.

"To think that this would have been your graduating year if you had become a genin. Perhaps you would have been in Sasuke-kun's group, no?"

Naruto pursed his lips at the thought. He held no hatred, hatred would consume and blind and would therefore stink up the spirit world. But he _severely disliked _the name of Uchiha. He'd nearly died because of one of their malevolent spirits. And they were quite a nuisance in the Uchiha district, always spitting curses at him.

"I am not Konoha's. I cannot be a shinobi. And even if I was, I would be a rather useless one since I refuse to kill another."

Sarutobi was quiet for a while, his aged face looking older and more weary than every as he gazed at the boy infront of him, "Death is a part of our lives Naruto. We, as shinobi, defend Konoha and everyone in it by doing what is necessary."

"Sandaime-sama," stated Naruto, making Sarutobi sigh at the formal tone, "when one kills another, they take on the burden of murder. And it is a heavy heavy burden. And one that only accumulates and can only be taken away for a large price. If people knew the burden of murder and what is does, murder would not exist."

Turning to leave, Naruto opened the door and said quietly to the old, tired, and defeated looking man in the desk of the shadowed room, "But humans are selfish through and through and that is why sin exists in the physical world."

He closed the door quietly with a gentle hand, lulling the elder man into a state of exhaustion. Ah, what he'd give to be free of burden. What he would give…but it would be too much. Far too much

=LINE BREAK=

-Several months later-

"Team 7, reporting. Mission to capture Tora the cat is a success," said Hatake Kakashi brightly as his disgruntled students handed the portly damiyo's wife her cat to strangle.

Sakura looked ready to blow, her face red, while her body covered with scatches and her long pink hair snarled with some leaves.

Sasuke's eyes looked like it was trying to spontaneously combust the Hokage, his attire also a disarray with the lovely addition of muddy streaks on his white shorts.

Sai's face was completely blank, but even he had multiple scratches and dirt stains on his clothing.

The Sandaime sighed as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, wanting desperately another asprin. Team 7 was by far the most dysfunctional of the Rookie 9 group. Kurenai's Team 8 was a perfectly respectful team that worked together efficiently and there were few quarrels. Asuma's Team 10 was a little rough around the edges, the budding of a successful group was emerging at least.

Kakashi's team had not a drop of teamwork. Sasuke hated Sai. Sai didn't have any emotion. Sakura ignored Sai and trailed Sasuke. And Kakashi?

The old man glanced at the one-eyed jonin who was giggling into his orange book.

…Don't even get him started.

"Well now, I have several missions ready for the taking. Takahara-san needs babysitters for her triplets. Mamoru-san needs his garden tended to while his back is injured. And the Academy is in need of volunteers for target practice…"

"Hokage-sama. I demand you give us an actual mission. We are genin of Konoha, we should have missions that will help us improve our skill rather than simple tasks that civilians can fulfill," retorted Sasuke, his dark eyes blazing with restrained anger, gritting his teeth.

"Sasuke-kun, be respectful to the Hokage! You of all people should know that every genin needs to fulfill D-rank missions to promote teamwork," berated Iruka, who frowned pointedly at the dark-haired protegy.

"And we all know that you are utterly incapable of working with other people," quipped Sai, his face still blank.

Sakura huffed at the insult at her crush, whom she believed was perfect, but she did not dare talk back or hit their third teammate. He completely freaked her out and she didn't want to risk making a fool of herself in front of Sasuke.

"You know what Iruka, I think Sasuke-kun is correct. You are genin and perhaps you should get a high rank mission. You have fulfilled the highest number so far," replied Sarutobi, looking through the files in his desk, "Ah, perhaps a C-rank? It is a escort mission to Nami no Kuni."

"I think my team can handle it Hokage-sama," said Kakashi, glancing a bit fondly at his team.

"Very well, Iruka, please bring in Tazuna."

A few seconds later, an elderly man with a potbelly dressed in shabby clothing smelling like strong alcohol entered the room. His wind-chapped face scrunched at the sight of Team 7.

"So this is it? A bunch of snot-nose brats who look like they're just out of diapers? These are the super-cool ninja who are supposed to protect me, the great bridge-builder Tazuna?"

Sasuke looked livid at the insult, as he fingered his kunai pouch, but Kakashi placed his book untop his duck-butt shaped head.

"We do not kill clients Sasuke"

"Don't worry Tazuna-san," said Sakura, putting on her best smile, though her left eye was twitching with the effort, "We're all ninja and Kakashi-sensei is a jonin! We'll protect you!"

Tazuna snorted in disbelief and took another deep swig of his alcohol.

Sarutobi managed to hide a grin and said seriously, "So, does Team 7 formally accept this C-rank assignment?"

Just as Sasuke opened his mouth to answer, the door to the room opened yet again as a small figure walked in. Sarutobi frowned slightly while Iruka's eyes widened a lot. The other five occupants merely stared.

The figure was a child, only about the same age as the three genin, with skin much tanner than anyone's in the room. Long golden blonde hair spilled over small shoulders and pooled around the waist while cerulean blue eyes blinked widely. He was short, only a centimeter shorter than Sakura, and rather thin, with six thick whisker marks, three on each cheek. He wore a deep purple kimono, embroidered with the image of koi fish at the hem and a grey sash with no shoes on his small bare feet.

"Naruto, you cannot keep barging into my meetings like this. What if I was in an important meeting?" chided the Hokage slightly as the, now identified as boy, swept his blonde hair out of his thin face.

"I would have probably done it anyway," said Naruto in a deadpan voice, shrugging his small shoulders, and giving the shell-shocked Iruka a quick nod before turning and studying Team 7. His small brow furrowed as he looked over Sasuke like he was a dirty piece of laundry and melted into a thoughtful glance at Sai, not really sparing a glance at Sakura too much.

"This mission will result in blood. Demons will appear and perhaps death," said Naruto quietly, making Sarutobi rise from his seat.

"When did you know this Naruto?"

"Several months ago, before the genin selections, when I did my Kyocho"

"What the hell are you talking about?" retored Sasuke icily as he glanced with distaste at the feminine looking boy, "Don't ruin this for me! Don't go lying just cause you can't get these missions fool!"

Naruto gave Sasuke a frown, his eyes darkening, before retorting, "_I don't lie_. But he did."

Tazuna stuttered a bit before gaining his confidence, "Don't be stupid brat! Why would I lie? Tazuna never lies!"

Naruto walked up to the older man, making his flinch even though the boy was about half his size. The blonde frowned as he saw the dark telltale smog of human refuse. The old man hadn't lied too much, it was out of desperation really, but it was sufficient enough to cover the right side of his face.

Reaching up, the blonde gathered the black smog in his hands, making the occupants in the room stare at him in confusion, before taking out a mirror from the sleeve of his kimono and gathering the smoke into his mirror, turning the shining surface an ugly black before it shattered into dust.

"Lying can become a habit Tazuna-san," said Naruto sweetly, his smile painted and fake, "You had better watch yourself."

Tazuna shuddered and turned away from the odd boy who made his skin crawl with the most uncomfortable emotions.

Naruto turned, his golden hair flying out as he stared at the Hokage with solemn eyes, "Let me go with them."

"Naruto, you are not allowed out of the village. You cannot be one of my shinobi!"

"My master has willed it. I am to go on this mission of demons, tears, and blood."

The room, though it was noon and very sunny outside, darkened slightly at the mention of this "master." Sarutobi himself shuddered at the remembrance of the horrible mark upon the young boy's back, the one carved into his skin by the Lord of Death himself.

"You cannot deny me this Hokage-sama. I have informed you of many things, I have tended to Konoha's filth for 8 years, but now I am called elsewhere."

"Naruto, you have no shinobi training. How can you even think you can defend yourself for even a moment against the dangers you foresee?"

Naruto smiled that painted smile again, the one that made everyone in the room shudder when iciness entered their veins, despite the day being rather warm.

"Because I cannot die."

At that moment, Team 7 stared at the blonde boy in disbelief. Sasuke fumed. This urchin, this girlish slip of a boy who seemed like he couldn't even pick up a kunai, proclaimed he could not die? God, he hoped with all his heart that the Hokage refused this goddamned request. He couldn't bear the stain of this uncessary burden on his first C-rank mission.

Sai stared at the boy in blank amusement. He had never seen this boy before; even when he had been flipping through the list of shinobi from the list Danzo-sama had provided him. The boy wasn't lying, he was no shinobi. But no matter, he would not interfere with his mission.

Sakura gave the boy a once over glance and immediately felt slighted. She had nothing to worry about; the boy was weak-looking, a civilian, and an arrogant one to boot. But she had seen those cerulean eyes dismiss her as worthless. Shaking her head, ignoring the outrage of her "inner self", she plastered a pleasant smile upon her face; it wouldn't matter if he came or not, he would not affect her mission to gain Sasuke's love.

Kakashi stared hard at the boy with his single coal-colored eye. This boy, with his golden hair and cerulean eyes, was so familiar. The nostalgia built up in his like a storm, but he just couldn't grasp the image that reminded him so much of the blonde-haired boy.

Sarutobi sighed a deep sigh, one that spelled his despair and disappointment. Reluctantly he nodded his head as if it weight a thousand pounds.

"Team 7 and Naruto, please come to the gates tomorrow as 6 AM sharp to start the mission. Bring all the essentials for a week-long trip. Dismissed."

Giving everyone a curt nod, Naruto departed, his feet sliding in slow careful steps, while leaving behind the scent of sandalwood incense.

Sasuke irritably rubbed at his nose. This mission was going to be such a pain.

=LINE BREAK=

Sasuke Uchiha was ready to murder the boy.

Oh it wasn't enough that the boy hadn't brought a _single_ weapon. Not one at all on this _incredibly dangerous mission_ that he had _apparently foreseen_. But the fact that whenever he walked, his long girlish golden blonde hair managed to smack him in the face.

And the Uchiha genius just knew that the little dumbass was doing it on purpose because he'd seen that insipid little smirk on that small face. God he just wanted to punch him.

And for god sake he was wearing a frickin kimono! A silk one! Thank god it was shortened a bit so he could move easier and with black tight pants underneath, but it was frickin red! Bright scarlet red with the image of butterflies embroidered in gold!

First off, what kind of 14 year old has that kind of money? Second, it was like a frickin beacon shouting, "Oh, enemy ninja, want an easy target? Come here? I'm right here!"

Oh, and the last most absurd thing that the boy was doing? He was talking to that walking mannequin of a teammate. It was rather unnerving.

"So, what do you like to do Sai?"

"…Paint"

"Really, what do you like to paint?"

"…stuff"

"Oh really, would you mind painting me something later?"

"…sure"

"Ah, the weather is so nice, isn't it?"

"…yea."

This oh-so-interesting conversation was ignored when Naruto stopped walking, his kimono stilling from lack of movement, and stared quite hard into the bushes, his brow furrowing in concentration. Immediately, the entire team was on guard as the bushes started to rustle. That is, until a snow-white rabbit bounded out of the hedges and wiggled its cute little pink nose. Sakura squealed over its cuteness while Sai, Kakashi, and Tazuna visibly relaxed. Sasuke however, glared at Naruto with his right eye twitching in righteous fury.

"You got us all worked up over a rabbit. Nice job _dobe._ Tell me, why is a civilian like you on this mission again?"

The rabbit bounded over to Naruto, who immediately picked up the fuzzy little creature and stared at it, his brow furrowing all the more as he petted its soft fur.

"Strange," he murmured with a quick glance at the masked-jonin, "It's April. Hares don't go white until the winter. This rabbit must have been domesticated and never seen the daylight very often." The blonde boy nonchalantly bended downward to put the bunny downward just as Kakashi's one eye widened and he yelled, "Everyone, down, NOW!"

Just as everyone smashed to the ground, a swift gust of wind rushed over them as what looked like a very large sword sung over their heads, lodging itself cleanly into the thick branch of a tree.

"So…maybe you aren't a bunch of worthless children after all?" said a voice, grated and sharp, as mist slowly crept in, obscuring everyone's vision.

"Everyone, stay down! Sasuke, Sai, Sakura, protect Tazuna and Naruto," barked Kakashi as he got up slowly from the ground, grabbing a kunai from his pouch, his single inky eye staring vainly at the mist surrounding them, searching for the enemy.

"Ah, ah, ah, Hatake Kakashi," crooned the voice, which seemed to come from all directions, "What good will a bunch of genin be against someone like me?"

In three quick seconds, Kakashi groaned as three deep slashes appeared on his arms and torso. Blood trinkled down from his wounds, but the masked jonin remained standing, breathing heavily. The wounds were superficial, not meant to hinder or kill at all. The man was toying with him, like a cat playing with his food!

Sakura shrieked at the sight of blood, but Naruto managed to clap a small hand over her mouth, cutting off her scream. "Be quiet Sakura-san," he whispered as his own blue eyes hardened into icy chips, "We must keep calm. Do not alert the enemy where you are. Kakashi-san is ok."

"Ah, I'm surprised you genin aren't wetting yourselves in fear," said the voice as Sakura nodded hesitantly and gripped her kunai almost painfully, "Aren't you little children scared of death?"

Sasuke himself was white as snow as his right hand wielding his kunai shook a little, his knees looking like they'd give out. Sai was blank, empty as a clean slate, but even he was sweating bit and gripped his kunai so hard his knuckles were taunt. Tazuna shook and moaned quietly to himself, not having gotten up from his kneeled position in the ground.

Naruto, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes as he concentrated. He twitched his nose, and flexed his hands as his eyes widened suddenly and he yelled, "DUCK!"

Everyone immediately sank to the floor as a sword swooped yet again where their heads had been seconds ago, a few strands of golden blond fluttering in the wind.

"Oh, so you have some talent little brat!" said the voice. The mist parted to reveal a towering figure with strong lean muscles, lugging the truly huge sword over her broad shoulders like it was a simple toothpick.

Naruto's eyes narrowed, "Momochi Zabuza of the Bloody Mist."

Zabuza's eye twitched as he smiled, though it was covered by the bandages secured around the lower half of his face, "Right answer brat, want a reward for good behavior?"

Naruto frowned as he noticed the scratched headband on the missing nin's forehead. It wasn't so much the fact that he was facing an A-rank missing nin so much as the fact that the goddamn headband covered his forehead that bothered him.

"_Could this be one of the people Shinigami-sama asked for?"_

"**Only one way to find out for sure, brat."**

Naruto frowned even more. He didn't want to fight. But he glanced at the genin at his side and the jonin behind him and sighed. Having others to take care of was so annoying. Humans were so annoying.

Zabuza's eye twitched again and what would have been his eyebrow rose as the blonde girlish genin looked up at him, his cerulean eyes now a murky ugly shade of violent purple. The dark marks on the boys face thickened and he smiled with wicked looking canines.

"_**Shall we dance, Zabuza?"**_

=LINE BREAK=

Author's Note: I'm very very sorry for the long wait. I'm having a lot of trouble with King of the Deck as I've hit a MAJOR writer's block and I'm trying desperately to find a way out…and this story, though I have a better understanding of where it's going, is also annoying me. So anyone wishing to help me out, please leave a review with your idea. See, this Naruto is no killer. HE WILL NOT KILL. He's no pacifist, but he will not kill until he has the Shinigami's say so. That said, I really have no idea what method he will use to fight. As he is based off Yuuko, I don't want him to be all brute force and such, but he's not magical like her. Naruto is a normal human with his own chakra, which is untapped, and Kyuubi's chakra which is limited to his use. I'm not too happy with this chapter but I hope you like it! Leave reviews please! Enjoy!

Ja ne!

Ichi_Alice


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